NWCRT Projects

The NWCRT has initiated and been involved in a number of projects.

Laurie Guichon Memorial Grasslands Interpretive Site

The site was opened in 2001. It is located on Highway 5A/97C, 11 kilometres southeast of Merritt. The idea of an interpretive site grew out of the goals of the organization and that education had a key role to play in accomplishing the vision.

The Site is a memorial to Laurie Guichon, a founding member of the Nicola Watershed Community Round Table, a fourth generation rancher, community leader and visionary. He was a man of integrity and social responsibility, who cared deeply about the world and the people around him.

The purpose of the Laurie Guichon Memorial Grasslands Interpretive Site is to educate residents of the watershed and visitors about the significance of the interior grasslands. The interpretive site shows the importance of the ecosystem and how it is an integral part of the economic fabric of the Nicola watershed.

Coldwater River Recovery Plan

The Coldwater River Recovery Plan was a project of the Pacific Salmon Foundation in partnership with the Nicola Watershed Community Round Table and the Nicola Watershed Stewardship and Fisheries Authority.

The Round Table raised awareness about the Plan and acted as a coordinator of local information dissemination about the projects initiated under the Plan. Between 2001 and 2006, nearly 30 projects were completed in the following categories: habitat assessment, instream habitat restoration, streambank restoration management, off-channel habitat enhancement. The initiative ended in 2006.

Nicola Water Use Management Plan

This project began in 2004 and was completed in 2010 with the production of a water use management plan for the Nicola watershed. The Round Table provided administrative support to this community-initiated project and facilitated the meetings of the Multi-Stakeholder and Steering Committees over the term of the project.

For further information about this project and to download a copy of the plan, click here.

Communication Plan for Low Flows in the Nicola Watershed

In 2010, the Nicola Watershed Community Round Table (NWCRT) received funding from the Fraser Salmon and Watersheds Program to develop a communication plan for periods of drought to address and mitigate drought/low flow impacts to the environment, economy and communities. In consultation with government representatives, water purveyors and water users, a Communication Plan was developed to provide coordination for a drought response and to build awareness and understanding of the roles of government agencies (federal, provincial and local), local stewardship groups and others in responding to drought.

The three communication objectives of the Plan are:

To promote water conservation and wise water use (best practices)

To provide a conduit for provincial and federal agencies to provide technical information about the water supply to the local community and information on local conditions back to senior agencies

To communicate the water conservation requirements necessary to meet drought conditions and the potential consequences of not meeting these targets.

Drought Level Sign

Nicola Watershed, BC, Drought Level Sign. As part of its commitment to provide ongoing information about drought to the residents of the Nicola watershed, the Round Table, in a partnership with the Province of BC and the City of Merritt, installed a drought level sign. The drought level for the watershed will be set by the Province and communicated to the Round Table. A member of the Round Table will then place a marker on the sign to indicate the drought level. This information will be updated as necessary and the marker will remain on the sign between May and October. The sign is located on Voght Street in Merritt. The Round Table hopes to construct two more signs and place them on Highway 8 and Highway 5A.